Surf park operator The Wave is set to become part of the world Para Surf League, having stepped in to host the 2023 Welsh Para Surfing Championships this August.
The Wave, which was established by social entrepreneur Nick Hounsfield in 2019, has offered to host the global contest that was to be held at Adventure Parc Snowdonia, until it was forced to close its wave park due to a mechanical failure.
The inland surfing centre near Bristol will welcome para surfers from around the global from August 18 to 19. The event will be the second stop on the European leg and the fifth stop of the Para Surf League.
This will be the first time The Wave has hosted a competition as part of the international circuit.
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The Wave was built on a vision of making surfing accessible to all – regardless of ability – and has supported the Ƶ para surfing community for several years, hosting the English Adaptive Surfing Open and supporting the case for national funding to be made available for the sport.
Last month Mr Hounsfield told BusinessLive : “We are right at the start of a journey as a surf industry about trying to break down the social barriers and environmental barriers from our perspective. From a social perspective it’s always been a white middle-class male sport, and it would be great if we can change the face of that. The industry is growing in awareness of that as an issue.”
The Welsh Para Surfing Championships is an event showcasing para-surfing to a global audience. There is currently a lobby for para surfing to be part of the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.
Dana Cumming, President and Founder of the Para Surf League said: "We are excited to have the 5th stop of the PSL World Tour and 2nd stop of the Euro Tour happening at The Wave in Bristol. The 2023 Welsh Para Surf Champs and Para Surf League Open will highlight athletes' talents from all over the world in a venue that provides wave perfection."
Mr Hounsfield added: “It is brilliant to be able to step in to support the Welsh Para Surfing Championships. We built accessibility into The Wave from the very beginning, and we are on a mission to bring the physical and mental health benefits of surfing to all, regardless of ability.
“Para-surfing is a fantastic sport, as is the community that has been built around it. This year more than ever it’s so important to raise the profile of the sport on a global level, with the aim of having para-surfing as part of the LA 2028 Paralympic Games. We can’t wait to welcome incredible athletes from all over the world to The Wave in August.”
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